Steam Trap Condensate Load and Required Capacity
The running condensate load (heat duty / latent heat) and the required trap capacity (load x a 2x-3x safety factor) at the operating differential - undersize it and the equipment floods on warm-up. The trap is selected from the manufacturer's capacity chart at the actual differential; warm-up, modulating, and stall conditions can demand a larger factor or a different trap type. Not the IMC 307 cooling-coil condensate drain.
Formula and source
condensate_lbhr = heat_duty_btuhr / hfg_btulb; req_capacity_lbhr = condensate_lbhr x safety_factor (2x typical, 3x warm-up / modulating).
First-principles condensate-load relation and the safety-factor practice, by name; the latent heat is from the ASME steam tables. Not edition-bound.
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